Journal archive

Abstract: This article contains the analysis of Bunin`s short prosaic works like “The Rose of Jericho”, “The Saints' Day”, “Penguins” written in his immigration during the 1920s. They are all grouped under the topic of the lost Motherland and memories of it that are revealed originally in each story with the help of the complicated combinations of genre and narrative strategies. “The Rose of Jericho” contains the fable component, which merges with the lyrical plot defining the outstanding specificity and the wide variety of symbols in this short story. The outstanding tension of the plot is created by merging the exact meanings with symbols, unveiling in the complex associative relevance of the key image with different realities contained in the character`s mind. Semantic concentration is reached by associative, allegoric and symbolic reference to historical and biblical events as well as intertextual dialogue permeating all the Bunin`s works. “The Saints' Day” relies on the scenic concept of composition, based on a non-chronological storytelling. The richness of the textures, abundance of bright details and the use of present tense verbs create the effect of the “absence of time”, a feeling of a family holiday that is now and here. In “Penguins”, a dream-related style is perfectly combined with the travelogue genre and cinematic plot development. The rules of the genre are followed and the narrator balances between expressing feelings and describing the things seen during the journey — creating a very specific traveler`s view. This miniature is the quintessence of Bunin`s tragic experience. One of the key topics in this story is Pushkin who is «gone» — the dead Pushkin. It is directly related to the end of the story turning the national catastrophe into an international and even global one.